GOL Orders 27 Additional Boeing 737-800 Blended Winglet(TM) Systems

SEATTLE, Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- With 10 Blended Winglet Equipped 737-800s already in service, GOL -- one of the most profitable and fastest growing airlines in the world -- depends on the benefits of Blended Winglet Technology to reduce operating costs and boost performance.

"GOL has enjoyed outstanding benefits with our Visible Technology and this order puts Blended Winglets on every Next Generation 737 GOL receives from Boeing through 2012," says Aviation Partners CEO John Reimers. "There could not be a better testament to the real world benefits of our product than this order for 27 additional Systems from one of Latin America's premier carriers."

Blended Winglet benefits for GOL include savings of more than 100,000 gallons (380,000 liters) of fuel per aircraft per year, payback on investment of just over 2 years and significant performance improvements from shorter airfields. As a complement to Boeing's Short Field Performance Package, patented* Blended Winglets give GOL the ability to operate from shorter runways including Rio de Janeiro's Santos Dumont (4,341 feet) and Sao Paulo's Congonhas (4,708 and 6,365 feet). Additional Blended Winglet Benefits include reduced engine maintenance cost, quieter and more environmentally friendly operations and a uniform high-tech image.

"We're very happy that GOL continues to support our product and that our product complements their operations so well," says Aviation Partners Boeing Sales Director Chris Stafford. "Range and payload benefits of Blended Winglet Technology will be significant on new services into Chile, Peru and Mexico while dramatic fuel savings will help minimize operating costs. When this order completes, GOL will be savings 8,500,000 gallons (32,300,000 liters) of fuel, fleet wide, each and every year."

Over 1,500 Blended Winglet Shipsets are now in service with over 100 airlines in more than 40 countries on 6 continents. Currently, 65% of in-service fleet of 737-700s, and 57% of in-service 737-800s, are Blended Winglet Equipped. By 2010, with over 4500 airliners upgraded, Blended Winglet Technology will have saved commercial airlines over 2 billion gallons of fuel.

    www.aviationpartnersboeing.com                    Patent No. 5348253